Cherry Blossoms of Eternity
by xsakura-shinigamix
Summary: SASUSAKU.Sakura is feeling ill and has to stay at home. Her daughter, Ayame, takes care of her during the time her father and brother are absent on missions, but it turns out that it is more serious than they first thought. Sakura has to be taken to the hospital. Note*: I've also uploaded this fic on my Tumblr Blog (sakura-shinigami) as well as my DeviantART account (kuroshitsuji1)
1. Chapter 1 - Despair

«I never thought I'd be this happy in my life. I'm married to the man I love, I have three lovely children and a job as a High-Ranked Medical Ninja. My family and I live in a beautiful and spacious house near the river, where once the Uchiha Residents was. Me and Sasuke got married a few years after he came back to Konoha and ever since we've been inseparable. I also grew my hair out because he told me he likes to brush it with his fingers. Our son, Haru, is now seventeen years old and a Jounin-Level ninja. One of the three New-Generation Sannin, just like my late sensei and Milady, Tsunade-sama was. Ayame is sixteen. She became a fine kunoichi and she was also my student in medical Ninjutsu. Rin-chan is our youngest daughter, she just turned six years old. Sasuke says that she looks a lot like me. Sometimes, I think, 'Is this real? Or am I dreaming?'. I've been in love with Sasuke ever since the first time I saw him, but he always kept rejecting me. Nevertheless, I was determind to win over his heart and eventually succeeded. I already miss it so very much.»

**Part 1 - "Despair"**

"Mommy? Do you need anything?"

Ayame opened the door to her mother's bedroom while holding a tablet with a pot of water and a glass. Sakura wasn't feeling very well lately, so she took a break from her work at the Hospital and stayed at home. Sasuke was on a mission, as well as Haru. Rin and Ayame were the only ones who filled the silence of that big house.

"Oh, Ayame-chan. No, I'm fine."

The woman smiled at her child and asked her to stay for a while. White bed sheets were covering her legs and stomach and her whole body was wrapped in a peach colored bed-robe. She was feeling cold and her stomach was groaning in pain. At first she thought it was a mere cold, but she decided to take a closer look, just to make sure. Unfortunately, it turned out that she suffered from a very rare illness. She hadn't told her children, neither did she tell Sasuke. She wouldn't want him to worry while on a mission.

"Ayame-chan, would you help mommy to stand upright?"

"Yes!"

Ayame let down the tablet on the bedside commode and helped her mother to lift up her body to drink some water. She put Sakura's hand around her neck and blandly pulled her up. She purred some water in the glass and gave it to her mother. Sakura was starring at the crystal clear water with a gaze filled with pain. She coughed a bit and the water in the glass started shaking. Ayame patted her back and sat next to her on the soft bed. Sakura's hands were shaking and her eyesight got blurry for a moment.

"Is.. Is Rin-chan sleeping?"

"Yes, I made her something to eat and then she fell asleep immediately."

"Oh… that's nice… She has.. such a kind big sis…"

Sakura looked at her daughter and smiled innocently. Ayame knew how much pain her mother was going through, that's why she was waiting for her father to return as quickly as possible.

She started feeling dizzy and clenched her fingers around the glass, but she had no more strength left. She started coughing again and gasped for air while Ayame slightly hit her on the back to make the coughing stop. But Sakura couldn't see anymore. She slowly begun to close her eye lids and lost consciousness while dropping the glass on the bedroom's wooden floor.

"Mom? Mom!"

Ayame tried to wake her mother up, but it was useless. She had already passed out.

"Mommy!"

She placed her palm on the woman's forehead and felt it heating up.

"No, please! Mom!"

She didn't know what to do. She couldn't leave the house and let Rin alone. She had to call for help.

"Dad, please come back soon! I can't take care of mom by myself anymore!" she whispered to herself.

She went to the bathroom and washed her hands. For now, she would use some basic medical ninjutsu to lower the fever, but Sakura had to be taken to a hospital. Earlier that day she got informed that her father's Team would be returning from their mission today, which meant he would soon arrive back home. She could handle the fever until he comes back.

Ayame brought some wet towels as she left the bathroom and placed them on the commode.

"Hang in there, mom! Dad is coming back in a while. We'll bring you to the hospital."

She took one towel and put it gently on her mother's forehead to cool her down, then used jutsu to make the pain ease.

Rin woke up and walked into her parent's bedroom, hoping to be able to embrace her mother, but unfortunately she was being treated by her big sister.

"Rin, why are you awake? Go back to sleep!"

Ayame was still trying to heal her mother and Rin only distracted her. She couldn't worry about both of them, she had to focus.

"I.. I wanted to see mommy.."

"Mom isn't feeling alright. Go to the living room and wait for daddy or Haru to come home."

"Ok…"

The little girl slowly closed the door and from the corner of her eye she saw her mother laying in her bed while Ayame was holding her hands above her fragile body and used medical ninjutsu. She looked so pale and weak.

Waiting on the big sofa, she heard the door open and heavy steps walking in. It was Sasuke.

"Daddy!"

She jumped off the sofa-pillow and with her short feet she run towards the door the meet her father. She hugged him very tightly and pressed her tiny face against his leg.

"Rin-chan!"

He patted his daughter's head and kneeled down to pick her up. She rubbed her eyes with her small fist and sulked at her father.

"What's the matter?" he asked worried.

"Mommy is…"

"What happened with mommy?"

He walked towards the bedroom with his little princess in his arms and turned on the lights of the hallway.

"Nee-san says that she is sick and that I can't hug her."

"Mommy is sick?"

Sasuke frowned his eyebrow and looked at Rin's sad face expression. He changed the position of his arm to open the door and stepped inside his and Sakura's bedroom. He saw Ayame, exhausted from performing medical ninjutsu.

"Ayame, what is wrong with your mother?"

"Dad! You're back! Thank goodness!"

She stood up panicked and tried to calm herself down.

"Mom isn't feeling very well! We need to take her to a hospital immediately!"

Sasuke stood still for a moment, shocked from what he just heard from his daughter. He had been away for over three months, he didn't expect to find Sakura so washed-up. She was a medical Ninja herself, why would she get ill all of a sudden?

"Ayame, take Rin and bring her to Naruto. He can take care of her for a while. I'll take your mother to the hospital."

"T-T-To Hokage-sama?"

"Yeah, now hurry!"

"Yes!"

She dried her wet hands on her lap and took her little sister in her arms. Sasuke put his hand on Sakura's forehead and it seemed like the fever hadn't gone down, even with Ayame's first-aid treatment.

"Sakura, can you hear me?"

He stroke her cherry-pink hair very gently and waited to see her green eyes open to face him. She felt a light pressure on the top of her head and heard a familiar voice. It was her husband's.

"Sasu..ke..?"

She sluggishly opened her eyes and recognized a male figure sitting next to her. She couldn't even sense any chakra, that's how weak her body had become.

"Can you stand?" he asked concerned. She shook her head negatively.

"I'll carry you to the hospital."

He took a blanket from their wardrobe and wrapped her inside. It was a bit sloppy, but they had to hurry. Her body was burning up like fire.

Ten minutes later they had already arrived at the hospital. There was one single light bulb glowing above the entrance to the huge white building. Nobody would visit at this time of the day, it was already 9PM. He slammed the door with his shoe and looked for a doctor in the hall way, while carrying his wife in his arms.

"Is anyone here?"

He looked around, but the hall was empty. Walking upstairs to the second floor he yelled again and then felt someone's chakra coming from the office. It was Ino and Shizune. Holding Sakura tighter againt him, placing her head under his chin, he knocked on the door and Ino appeared.

"Oh Sasu- Oh my gosh, Sakura! What happened?"

The blonde saw her best friend in her husband's arms and trembled all sacredly. Her hands were shaking and her eyes opened up wide, like she just woke up, with rings under her eyes from the long working hours due to Sakura's absence in the Hospital for over a month. Sasuke stepped back a bit and begged Ino to take a look at her. She quickly informed Shizune and they both led the couple to a room.

"Put her carefully on that bed. She must feel dizzy. Her fever is high."

With light steps he carried her to the white-sheeted hospital bed. The room smelled like antiseptics, the stench caused him an unpleasant feeling in his stomach. Ino covered Sakura with one of the blank sheets and took out a needle to connect her arterials with the hydrolytic liquid and then took her pulse.

"Sasuke-kun, would you be so kind to wait outside?"

Shizune wore her gloves and got ready for examination. Sasuke stepped outside, unwillingly, and sat on a chair right next to the room, waiting for them to finish.

After a few minutes, Shizune opened the door and came outside. Sasuke stood up immediately and asked her right away.

"Sasuke-san, I need to talk with you."

He hastily pushed her aside and pulled the door to see what was going on. He saw Ino sitting on the second hospital bed right next to Sakura, with her elbows on her laps, holding her head and looking down in frustration. Sakura was sleeping very sound.

"Ino, what happened?"

"Sasuke, don't go inside!"

Shizune tried to stop him, but he forced his way through the door to rush to his wife's side. Ino slowly lifted her head and looked at him with eyes full of sorrow.

"Sasuke-kun, Sakura is… She's very sick…"

He sat on Sakura's bed and held her hand softly.

"What… do you mean..?"

He looked at the blonde Medic with a puzzled expression.

Shizune stepped inside and patted Ino's back, while Ino found herself looking down again. She wasn't feeling well. There was a huge knot in her belly, not letting her breath normally.


	2. Chapter 2 - Goodbye

**Part 2 - "Goodbye"**

"An uncurable illness… She won't be able to pull through… I'm sorry… She's approximately got about one more month…"

"Wha-"

Sasuke gasped in shock and looked at them with those dark-coal eyes which felt like giving out cold.

"Can't you do something? You're Doctors for goodness' sake!" he suddenly yelled out loud. His voice echoed through the entire floor.

"It's already too late to attempt any further treatment! We can delay it for a bit, but we won't be able to save her!"

Shizune's voice pierced through his mind and her words got him paralyzed. He was just gazing at a void, not moving at all.

"Sasuke-san, we'll leave you two alone. You can stay here overnight, but only for today."

She felt sorry for the couple, to be separated like that and also so suddenly. It was hard for her to loose someone like Sakura since she was one of the best medical ninjas Konoha has, but also as a fellow disciple of Tsunade-sama.

Ino and Shizune left the room and Sasuke's eyes were only looking at Sakura's peacefully sleeping face. Ino had given her some painkillers, to make it easier for her to sleep, but he could feel the pain that laid inside of her. He should've come back earlier.

Two weeks had passed and every single day he spent it at the Hospital, staying by Sakura's side. He hadn't taken on a mission for all this time. He had asked to take a two-month break from ANBU and decided to take care of his children and his sick wife. Haru had also come back from his long mission and was quite shocked when he heard his mother was in such a critical condition. Ayame was also not feeling very well. She'd stopped eating and often locked herself in her room, crying. They had agreed not to tell the youngest Uchiha anything about their mother. It would only make things more complicated than they are. Although she might have noticed, from watching her older siblings. She would sometimes press her ear against Ayame's door and hear her cry in vain. That sound of her sister's crying moans was making her sad, but when she asked her brother, he wouldn't answer her why she was crying so much. However, Rin did everything she could to cheer up her siblings. She drew them pictures and brought them pretty flowers. Those small gestures of the little girl did make Ayame and Haru get away from all the melancholy they had been feeling. They had to show more strength in front of their little sibling.

When Naruto found out about Sakura's condition, he would also come and visit her once every day. It was also good for Sasuke to have someone to talk to.

"Sasuke, I know how you feel.."

Naruto sat next to his friend who was blandly stroking his wife's cheek, looking at her with desperate eyes.

"Naruto, would you please leave for today?.. I.. want to think about a few things.."

He looked at Sasuke with a concerned and sad look and patted his shoulder.

"Sure…"

He left the room and closed the door behind him, leaving the couple alone. It was raining outside… Strange for that kind of season…

One week later they had an emergency call. Haruno Sakura was in a critical state. Sasuke and the simbligs Haru and Ayame rushed to the Hospital, leaving Rin at the Uzumaki's. They found Shizune outside of Sakura's room, looking down, depressed and almost lifeless. With a weak and hazy voice she looked at the family and mumbled. "Go inside…" Ayame's cheeks were already painted with salty tears of sorrow as she went through the door to meet her mother. They found her laying down quietly, starring at the ceiling. He hair had gotten a lighter and more pale color. It wasn't that energetic pink anymore. It became hazel red, a mix of grey, pink and white. She turned her head around and looked at them, smiling. "Mom!" Ayame rushed to her mother's bed and instantly took her hand. She was holding it very tight and stroke her cheek with it. Sakura's fingers caught one of her daughter's tears as it was running down her nose tip. She moved her hands and brushed Ayame's hair to the left, uncovering her whining eyes. The girl couldn't look at her straight, her eyesight got blurry from all the tears she had shed. "Shh.." Sakura whispered. "Ayame-chan, don't cry so much. Mommy doesn't want to see you sad.." When she said that, Ayame only cried harder. She couldn't stop her tears from falling. It was too painful seeing her mother like this. Sasuke and Haru approached as well and stood right beside them. Sakura looked at her son and told him to come a bit closer. Whispering again, she said: "Haru-chan, please… You have to take good care of both of your sisters. Don't let them.. get hurt.. You hear me?" "Mom…" She gently placed her palm on his cheek and stroke it tenderly. "I don't want you to go, mommy. Please stay…" Ayame's voice was shaking. She hid her crying face behind her mother's palm as she was squeezing it. Sakura closed her eyes for a bit and felt her children's warmth through her hands. She would miss that feeling, of being able to embrace her beloved children. Sasuke was standing with his back to the window. He didn't lift his head at all. It looked like he was crying on the inside. And it seemed to be a distressing feeling. Ino stepped inside and felt an instant pain in her chest while looking at the family, mourning over their mother. It broke her heart. "Ayame-chan, Haru-kun.. Only your father can stay inside now. I've to plead you to leave." The siblings didn't want to let go of their mother's hands, but they had to go. An unpleasant and very mournful atmosphere filled the hospital-room as they were saying their final goodbyes. "Mommy… I…I love you so much! Thank you, for being such a great mother all these years. I.." Ayame found it very hard to breath and her whole body was trembling. "I swear I will not disappoint you… Not ever…" Her teary voice was almost too much oppressive. Every single word expressed fear, despair, sadness, sorrow, as well as anger. She spoke out the phrase 'I love you' many times, but no matter how many, it would still not be enough to keep from leaving them. "I will not disappoint you either, mother." Haru was stronger than his sister, although he did feel a heavy strike piercing through his chest. He couldn't speak his words out very loudly either. "I love you, Mom." He squeezed his mothers hand as tightly as he could and kissed her forehead. Sakura had only very little strength left, which she saved up to talk to Sasuke. Haru took his sister in his arms and they both headed outside. Sasuke and Sakura were left alone in the room. He lifted his head and looked at took a seat next to her and stroke her hand. She looked at her husband and with that little strength she had left, she spoke to him. "Sasuke… Could you please… take me in your arms' embrace?" It sounded like a last request. She wanted to feel the warmth of the man she loved the most on this entire world. To feel his tenderness. To sense his presence very clearly. He placed his right arm under her legs and his left arm under her upper-body to lift her up from where she was laying. Holding her like a prince would hold his princess, he sat down on the bed, with her in his arms. She placed her hand on his chest and pressed her forehead against his shoulder while closing her eyes. "You smell like Sasuke." she said and let out a small laugh. "I've always loved that smell." She put a smile on her lips and enjoyed feeling the touch of his skin. He didn't say a thing, though. "Do you remember.. when we were kids.. you wouldn't look at me at all. I.. always tried to grasp your attention, but you never gave it to me.." She coughed a bit and continued. "Do you remember… the first time… I said I love you?" He nodded while his eyes were looking through the window glass, at the beautiful Spring weather. Today it was quite sunny outside. The Cherry Blossoms also had begun to bloom since the day before. "Sakura…" he said. "I love you.. I love you with all my heart.." She responded with a smile and closed her eyes again, sinking deeper into his embrace. Her hand touched his left shoulder and she leaned forward to reach his lips. Her mouth was feeling cold in comparison to his. It may had lasted for merely three seconds, but it felt like an eternity to them. Her pulse became weaker every passing minute. Her skin begun to get chilly as well. Until she finally closed her eyes… and would never open them again.

The window was open and the wind blew flower petals into the monochrome room. He was holding her very tight to his chest. He looked at the blooming cherry trees outside and thought of her. Her beautiful smile. That was something he would never forget. Naruto knocked on the door and came in. He saw his friends hugging on the patient's bed, facing the outside world. "Sasuke…" He slowly approached. "Naruto… She's… so cold… Her skin…" The Hokage sat on the other side of the bed, back to back with his friend. He couldn't feel Sakura's chakra anymore. "Why must… everyone I ever loved… disappear like that..? It's not… fair…" He looked down to see her peaceful face again and that was when a tear escaped his eye, alas. "You are not alone, Sasuke. I will always be here if you want someone to share your thoughts with. I won't leave you and the kids alone. You can count on me, not only as your Hokage, but also as your best friend." He remained silent for a while, suppressing his mourns. She made him happy when his soul was filled with darkness. She filled the void the tragic loss of his family had left inside of him. She blessed him with three lovely children. He learned to love her and care for her. He never thought… he would miss her so much.


End file.
